September 2011 #131 by Punxsutawney Hometown Magazine

l it y QuaTURE aT FURNI y Day EvErPRIcES

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ey Street

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History in Nearby Names

Worthville: local village Honors General Worth On the cover: Back to School Time Cover photo by Courtney Katherine Photography for students featured see page 10

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By S. Thomas Curry of Hometown magazine

ne afternoon, on a beautiful day in August, there was the urge to revisit a couple of the small, country towns to the west and northwest of Punxsutawney in southern Jefferson County. The journey, following route PA 536, would take the traveler through the northern portion of Perry Township , across the southwest corner of Oliver Township and into Ringgold Township where the two historic villages of Ringgold and Worthville are located three miles apart, one on a ridge and the other in the valley. Published histories of Jefferson County by noted residents Kate Scott (1888) and Dr. William J. McKnight (1898) record the founding years and development of these towns through the 19th century. And the 1982 publication of Jefferson County His-

Publishers William C. Anderson Mary L. Roberts Advertising Mary L. Roberts Tracey Young Contributing Writers S. Thomas Curry Marty Armstrong Jade Emhoff Marsha Lavelle Bill Anderson

The borough of Worthville was settled in the 1830s in a deep valley, among many trees, in Ringgold Township . The town was originally named Geistown for the family of pioneer settlers. (Photo by S. Thomas Curry)

frontier lands. They ended up in Jefferson, Clarion and Armstrong counties. Daniel Geist was one of them, arriving in the area in 1834 by way of Indiana, Pa. He followed Indian trails to what was generally known as “pinewoods country,” tracts of land where Worthville is now situated. Worthville was incorporated as a borough in Jefferson County in 1878 with a population of about 100 people. After a visit to the town in 1870, a newspaper reporter had written it was “a brisk village” of in-

habitants and no reason why it shouldn’t be a lively, progressive town.” But sitting in the shadows of the nearby hills, the reporter indicated it had a “gloomy feeling.” (Much of that wooded land has been cleared and the people living in the valley today welcome the sunshine.) The little hamlet in the fertile farmland of Jefferson County was originally named Geistown, after the young 16-year old Daniel Geist, who left his home in - Continued on page 4

Art Director Melissa Salsgiver Graphic Artists Melissa Salsgiver Carol Smouse Nicole McGee All material submitted becomes the property of Punxsutawney Hometown magazine.

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When a post office was established in 1854, the town of about 100 people was renamed from Geistown to Worthville, honoring a Mexican War general. (Photo by S. Thomas Curry)

tory by the Jefferson County Historical Society recruited volunteer “historians” in communities in an attempt to update those older works. Ringgold Township, which is bounded by Armstrong County to its west, was formed in 1848 by taking part of Porter Township in that area. Porter Township was established in 1840. The township’s early settlers were among the many people who made their way from counties in eastern Pennsylvania, heading west to develop Providing: • Assistance in Daily Living • Short & Long Term Care • 24 Hour Care • Activities • Physician On Call • Special Diets • Safety Bells in Each Room • Physical, Occupational & Speech Therapy Available • Independent Apartments Available

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According to the group’s organizer, Josef Janning, nothing like this has ever been done before. It is the first U.S. cross-counome people stopped and pointed, try venture of its kind and Punxsutawney others laughed out loud. A few aphas become part of the historic journey. proached the things and wanted to Even in Europe, where the Velomobile is know all about them. much more popular, this many riders have Punxsutawney was recently invaded by never gathered together and traveled this strange and colorful little vehicles known far, Janning said. The entire trip will take as Velomobiles. about 26 days. A Velomobile is a small vehicle operated "Our inspiration was to get Velomobile and powered by a rider who is peddling. In riders together because most ride alone and actuality, it is a low-seated tricycle with a for very short trips, Janning said, "I fiber glass or aluminum shell around it. thought, why not do something big?" The more than 3,200-mile trek across 15 states is sponsored in part by DHL, a worldwide logistics and shipping company whose focus includes protection of our worldly environment through climate protection. The Velomobile and recumbent bikers agree that nothing could be more environmentally prudent than a vehicle that burns only human calories. Piekielek discovered ROAM on A Velomobile rider travels alongside a huge semi-truck, seemingly unintimidated the Internet. in downtown Punx’y. (Photos by Marsha Lavelle) "When I first saw Alongside the parade of Velomobiles, one it, I thought they were crazy," he said, "It recumbent biker — the only two-wheeled first appeared in Spring of 2010, but I didvehicle in the party — was ridden by 63n’t sign up until August of 2010." year-old Bill Piekielek, an avid biker, who Piekielek, a retiree of the Penn State agriis originally from Punxsutawney. cultural department, thought he was going As the 22 Europeans and 14 Americans to be riding a Velomobile for the journey, rolled into town in their bright yellow, blue, but that didn’t work out. He had to take his

By Marsha Lavelle for Hometown magazine

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purple, green or white Velomobiles, it caused quite a stir downtown. "We’ve had a really positive response from people wherever we go," Piekielek, a 1966 PAHS graduate, said. The group of travelers are part of a crosscountry program known as "Roll Over America" or ROAM. The bikers left Portland, Oregon, July 28, final destination: Washington, D.C.

recumbent bike instead. "I wanted to be part of the group," he said, "I had no idea if I’d go the whole way. I just wanted to follow through." Like the Velomobiles, recumbent bikes are streamlined to go faster because they have less resistance than regular bikes. "I modified mine a lot so I could keep up with the Velomobiles," Piekielek said, "My - Continued on page 8

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Worthville

Continued from page 2 Northumberland County in 1825, and found his way to the region in the 1830s. In 1854, when a post office was to be established for the town, it was discovered that there was already a Geistown post office near Philadelphia. Thus the name of Worthville was used to honor the name of General William J. Worth, a respected military hero of the Mexican War (1846-48).

In earning his fame as Mexican War hero he is credited with being “the first to plant the American flag on the Rio Grande.” He also led the first troops ashore in the amphibious landing by the U.S. troops at Vera Cruz, Mexico. And was the first to enter Mexico City where he cut down the Mexican flag and replaced it with the ”stars and stripes” of the United States. General Worth died in May 1849, of cholera. Throughout his life, the general was respected as a military technician, his writings required reading for generations

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Major General William Worth was praised as a war hero during early Indian Wars, and then the Mexican War when he marched his troops into Mexico City after a landing by sea at Vera Cruz on the Gulf of Mexico.

With Fort Worth, Texas also named for the Mexican War general, there developed a curiosity as to why a community in rural Jefferson County would be named for him. According to histories written about Worthville, General Worth often stayed overnight at the Geist Hotel there, which was operated by Elias Geist. No documentation has been found to verify that note. Knowledge about General Worth and his war fame is lacking among the area citizenry and readers. Thus, a brief history is offered here to understand the significance of the name “Worthville,” which was settled over 150 years ago. General William Jenkins Worth was born of Quaker parents in the state of New York. At the age of 19, he served as an aide to General Winfield Scott during the War of 1812, and was later promoted to the rank of captain in August 1814. During the war he was severely wounded. After the war he was an instructor at West Point of tactical topics. Following numerous wars against the Indians, he was appointed brigadier-general by President James K. Polk, following the Seminole War in the early 1840s, which was fought in the swamps across southern Florida. It was his accomplishments in the Mexican-American War (1846-48) that brought him a ranking as a “war hero.” In 1846, he was promoted to Major-General and served under generals Zachary Taylor and Scott. General Worth was second in command to General Taylor when the Mexican War began. After the war Taylor, known as “Old Rough and Ready,” was elected the 12th President of the United States (1849-1850). He died 16 months into his term. The frontier post where General Worth commanded his troops became the spot where Fort Worth, Texas was established.

of cadets at West Point. There is a Worth Street in New York City’s Manhattan. There is also a 51-foot granite monument in his honor in a park near Fifth Avenue, 25th Street and Broadway. The opportunity came in 1854 for the residents of the established settlement to rename its post office for “eternity” in Jefferson County. The name Worthville would replace the name “Geistown,” which had a direct link to its founding years when Daniel Geist found something of worth about the beautiful land of pine forests and fertile farmland. When Geist made a return visit to his family’s homestead east of Harrisburg and told them about what he found, some of them decided to return with him to Jefferson County with their belongings. He built a grist mill and the people built their lives around farming, lumbering and the supportive businesses of a small town. To offer the name of Worth to a place in a corner of the wilderness county, there must have been among those people a number of them who knew of the heroics of General William J. Worth. Did he visit the little town of Geistown as a friend, and did he stay at the Geist Hotel at one time? With a rich local history of its own, was the general’s name a worthy replacement? With a population of 85 in the 2000 census, Worthville is in fact the smallest borough in Jefferson County, and among only a few boroughs in Pennsylvania with a population less than 100. The streets and lanes in Worthville are named for some families and popular residents. One of the streets is named Maurer Lane for Forrest Maurer, the longtime mayor of Worthville. He was also a teacher and administrator for many years in the Punxsutawney School System. •••

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Families need a revival of the italian Sunday dinner By Edward A. Iannuccilli The Providence Journal o you remember "Sunday best" — when you were expected to don your best clothes, shoes and behavior, all in preparation for worship, a ride, a visit, but most of all, for Sunday dinner? Remember when stores were closed for rest and relaxation? Do you remember the day of food and conversation with a meal prepared by Grandma in her efficient, seemingly effortless way? If so, then you will remember one of the pillars of our culture. For my family, the day started with church, followed by a visit to my aunts, a stop at the corner where Dad met old friends and, in the summer, a trip to the park to listen to a concert. When we arrived home, savory smells were in the air. The doors to each floor of our three-tenement home were open to each other, and the smells crept into every corner. The kitchen windows were steamed from the simmering gravy and roasting chicken. Grandma was banging her wooden spoon on the rim of the pot. The meatballs sizzled in olive oil and garlic. Grandma started her gravy (gravy makers are possessive), a rich tomato-based sauce with cuts of meat and spices, in the early morning because it took hours of slow cooking on the rear burners. The Italian radio show with Antonio Pace was on every Sunday morning. Taking two stairs at a time, I entered Grandma's door and went directly to the pantry, ripped the corner from the Italian bread and dunked it in her gravy, being careful not to burn my tongue as I ate. Grandma fried her meatballs before placing them in the gravy. Sometimes I liberated one. It was the start of another family ritual — the Sunday dinner. I blew on the bread as I cradled it with two hands, strolling into the dining room to peek at the mahogany table covered with its plain white cloth. Sun splashed on the plain dishes surrounded by knives, forks and spoons sitting patiently in front of each chair. There may have been a centerpiece. In the adjacent parlor, an arm's length away and separated by a mahogany arch, next to the pianola, was a smaller table set the same way for us children. I have no idea how my grandmother did it. In a small tenement, she managed to prepare dinner for her large family every Sunday. It was a feast that included an-

tipasto, soups, pastas, meats, fresh vegetables, fruits and desserts. She sustained a long tradition of how we should enjoy Sunday as a family lingering in conversation at the dinner table. My grandmother prepared simple southern Italian meals. She was a small, quiet but purposeful and efficient kitchen technician, buzzing from pantry to kitchen stove to dining room, a gravy-splashed apron skirting her waist. Her energy was

infectious. She was pleased and proud to have her family there. "Come on, sit, sit, it's time to eat." The first course was an antipasto of meats (prosciutto, salami), cheeses (provolone, mozzarella) and roasted red peppers. Chicken and dumpling soup or chicken soup with tiny meatballs, some floating like mines ready to explode on the way down, followed. Then came the pasta, such as homemade ravioli, gnocchi, lasagna or manicotti. She served the meats -- meatballs, sausage and braciole -- that cooked in the gravy, in a side dish. Stuffed artichokes, salad and string beans accompanied a chicken roasted with potatoes, the crispier the better. Fresh bread came from an Italian bakery. Desserts included fresh figs, fruits, cakes and Italian pastries. Nuts sat in bowls, waiting to be cracked and picked over. No one ever talked of dieting. At each end of the table was Grandpa's homemade wine. It smelled like the cellar where he made it. Music came from the background -- Neapolitan songs, opera. After dinner, if the weather cooperated, the kids went out to play while the adults sat around to talk even more. Though they spoke to each other daily, somehow on Sunday they had more to say. My memory of those conversations is not specific, because I was not interested, but I do recall the same subjects discussed over and over -- work, children, neighbors, gossip, etc. They laughed a lot. No one adjourned to a TV room. Rather, they enjoyed the simplicity and grace of the day and of each other. The Sunday dinners, like my grandparents, grew old and eventually died, though my mother continued them for a while, her - Continued on page 10

Belt-tightening by consumers can worsen nation’s financial strait B

By Jim Spencer Minneapolis Star Tribune randon Milles and his wife keep constant track of their stock portfolio, and the turmoil in the markets has them slightly spooked. The couple's investment holdings lost 10 percent of their value in recent weeks. Milles said it's time to make some changes. "We'll probably cut back on spending and accelerate the payment of our debts," said Milles, a 36-year-old insurance professional. Their reaction is the sort of response that has economists a bit spooked. Milles' behavior is an example of "the wealth effect," where people's spending changes in proportion to the health of their investment portfolios. In the wake of the debt ceiling deadlock, Standard and Poor's downgrade of U.S. debt, and the languishing jobs market, the wealth effect could thwart an economic recovery or worsen the country's shaky financial straits. Few experts question the existence of the wealth effect, but the debate surrounds its ability to move the economy. "How much impact does it have? What's more important now is the income effect," said Brian Jacobsen, Wells Fargo's chief portfolio strategist. "We need jobs." Virtually no one would argue the need to

reduce unemployment. But some of the country's foremost financial analysts and advisers see skittishness among investors that could be cause for concern. As the stock market crashed following the downgrade in the U.S. credit rating, Tim Leach, the chief investment officer for wealth management at Minneapolis-based U.S. Bank, quickly put together a conference call with any of his company's investment clients who chose to participate. Roughly 1,000 people dialed in. "There is a very high level of anxiety in investors I've spoken to," Leach said. "On the apprehension scale," Leach said, investor anxiety today feels a lot like it did when the subprime lending bubble burst in 2008 and forced the country into its worst economic crisis since the 1930s. The foreboding belies the fact that corporations are in better shape than they were three years ago, while households have reduced their debt loads. "Based on economic fundamentals, what's

happened in the market is an overreaction," said Russell Price, a senior economist at Minneapolis-based Ameriprise Financial. With political turmoil and debt problems adding to the threat of a second recession, perception may have overtaken principles. Retail sales were solid in July, and the stock market rallied the final two days of last week. Yet according to a Reuters/University of Michigan survey released Friday, consumer confid e n c e slipped to levels lower than the 2008 recession. "This is nearly a record low -next only to the Iranian hostage crisis and oil embargo of the late '70s and early '80," according to the Econoday resource center. People who saw huge portions of their life savings evaporate in the stock market crash of 2008 are now nervous enough to prematurely bail out of the economy in a kind of once-burned, twice-shy response, Leach said. "Investors are quicker to sell and ask questions later," he said. "This is no doubt

going to have a dampening effect on some consumer spending going forward." People pay closest attention to their investment portfolios when something bad happens, said Patrick Gray, the managing director of taxable trading at Minneapolisbased Piper Jaffray. "Psychologically, it hurts," Gray said. "You take a look and say, 'I've just lost 10 percent. I have to spend less.'" How much less defies an answer. The less a person has invested, the less the wealth effect, Gray said. Plus, the stock market's troubles have brought down the price of oil. Cheaper gas prices could offset the wealth effect, Gray noted. Collectively, stocks in the American and world markets have lost trillions of dollars in value since mid-July. U.S. unemployment remains above 9 percent. Debt levels in the U.S. and the world need to be reconciled. And members of the U.S. House and Senate remain unwilling to compromise on what almost every financial expert believes is necessary economic reform. "Everyone agrees that we have to raise taxes and cut spending," said Piper Jaffray's Gray. "In that sense, S and P may have done us a favor." (Contact Jim Spencer at jim.spencer(at)startribune.com.) (Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.) •••

Punxsutawney Hometown – September 2011 - Issue #131 – 7

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"There’s a lot of junk on the sides of the roads on the Interstates, it’s glass and trash and there’s rumble strips – not good for Continued from page 3 bikers, you get lots of flats." aerodynamics are better than a regular biPiekielek and his bike went down in cycle but not as good as a Velomobile." Billings, Montana. It was a concrete road "The Velomobile advantage is they go rewith very large seams. Recumbent bikes and Velomobiles have very narrow wheels. "The seam in the road was big enough for my tire to fall in and I went down," he said. Luckily, he wasn’t hurt bad, just minor scrapes and bruises. And the fall caused a few small holes in the fabric of the bike cover, but nothing that would stop his continuing journey. Piekielek has always liked biking and wasn’t deterred. "It’s very physically demanding" he said, "EspeMartin Beyst, of England, shows off his bright yellow Velomobile that has cially at my age, but it is reached speeds of 80 miles per hour on the downhill ride. a low impact fun exerally fast downhill and take less energy, he said, "When you’re streamlined, you’re like a missile and move faster than a regular bike with so much resistance." Organizing a crosscountry trip on bikes involves a lot of planning. Many things have to be taken into consideration, according to Piekielek. "In Portland where we started, there was three or four days of press coverage. Then the day we left was a ceremonial day. The mayor had a proclamation and there were lots of people," he said. "We only did a few miles in Oregon," he added, "Then on the Piekielek, of State College, originally from Punxsutawney, poses with second day, about 40 or Bill his recumbent bike, the only two-wheeled vehicle in the ROAM tour. The 50 miles in Montana." group stopped in Punx’y only briefly before heading south. Out West, it is legal to ride on the Interstate highways which they cise. I like going to new places by way of normally try to avoid. back roads on a nice day. Piekielek says the Interstates are haz"It’s not nearly as hard on the body as ardous for bike travel. - Continued on page 18

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By PRIDE for Hometown magazine small item in the Punxsutawney News of September 21, 1887, foretold of the change about to take place in the mining industry. The item read: “An offer of $2500 has been offered for an invention of some kind by which blasting in coal mines can be done

dressed this type of work. It was a pick, or drill, powered by both compressed air and electricity. This new tool was quickly dubbed “the iron man.” The drill made it possible to undercut the coal much faster and was somewhat safer for the miner. A second machine, developed about the same time, was the cutting machine. It worked much like a horizontal chain saw and was

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A Mine Motor with its loaded cars makes its way to the tipple. The motor made hauling coal out of the mines more efficient and in some ways safer than using mules. (Photo courtesy of Shirley J. Sharp)

effectively without the use of gunpowder; and the same amount for some perfectly safety system of electric lights in mines to supersede the present so-called safety lamp.”

able to make a 30 to 40 inch wide and six to seven foot deep undercut in a coal seam. Although it was officially known as a cutting machine it was quickly was dubbed the “widow maker,” because of the great

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The article did not say who was making the offer, however improved safety was needed in the mining industry. Rock falls were the cause of the most deaths in the mines. Undercutting with a pick, and blasting loosened the coal and also loosened the rock strata in the area where miners were working, resulting in massive falls of coal and rock, which killed many miners. Over fifty percent of mine gas explosions were ignited by the open flame of the miner’s lamp. These explosions also ranked high in the causes of mine deaths. When the mines were opened in the Punxsutawney Area, the slowest part of the mining process was that of under-cutting. The miner had to lie on his side for hours digging out a six-inch thick and three to four foot deep cut across a ten foot or wider face of coal. One of the first technological improvements in mining ad-

amount of dust it created. These machines were introduced in the Rochester and Pittsburg Coal and Iron Company mines of Walston, Adrian, Eleanora and Helvetia when the mines installed the necessary electrical systems to operate the equipment. As electricity and new technology was phased in, the mule and the pick miner were phased out of the mines. Not everyone was pleased with the new machines. The miners complained that the machines didn’t cut close enough to the bottom of the coal seam. In many places the machine left two feet of good coal on the bottom. When one inch of coal distributed over an acre made a hundred tons, this was, in the miner’s mind, a huge loss to the company. Although the company was able to produce more coal at a lower - Continued on next page

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Various types of machinery were used in the Punxsutawney area mines in the early 20th century. The Electric Coal Cutter and the Electric Rock Drill were built by Pneumelectric Machine Company. The Shortwall Mining Machine is by Goodman Electric.

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technology

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10 – Punxsutawney Hometown – September 2011 - Issue #131

Continued from previous page cost, the miners claimed the coal contained more slack. Efficiency was more powerful than tradition, and the company continued to use the latest technology to improve production. Mining reports in the early twentieth century reflect the continued modernization of the mines. The report for 1916 reflects the upgrades in equipment during the 1915: Eleanora Shaft: Replaced 15 air punching machines with 4 of the Goodman type 12 E shortwall mining machines; Eleanora #2: Replaced 20 air puncher machines with 3 Goodwin type 12 E shortwall mining machines and 5 pneumelectric puncher machines; Adrian: Installed 4 electric shortwall mining machines, 1 electric rock drill and 3 electric pumps. Improvements were made in the haulage systems. Electric motors or engines quickly replaced mules. At first the motors operated on the main haulage routes in the mine and the mules were used on the side rooms. The motor was more powerful than a mule and capable of hauling fourteen cars of coal where the mule could pull between four to eight loaded cars, depending on the grade. The motor required fewer supports, frequent oiling, a good mechanic and a skilled driver. It did not need time to rest, or stables, or veterinarians to keep it operational. And when it was no longer able to work, it did not have to be maintained on a farm, it was sent simply to salvage. In the rooms, mules were eventually replaced by conveyors which took the coal from the face of the coal to the waiting cars. And in place of the two miners working a room, teams of miners would all be working the room, cutting, scraping, and loading. This also changed the way miners were paid. No longer were they paid by the ton. They were now paid by the day. Electric machinery improved safety in the mines, however, it also became a factor in mine fatalities. At Walston, a miner was accidentally killed on July 20, 1912 when he came in contact with the trolley wire and was electrocuted. At Eleanora #2, on May 26, 1913 a miner died of electrical shock when he came in contact with a live wire. At Eleanora Shaft, on March 14, 1914 a track layer’s helper came in contact with the electric wire and was killed. No information was found announcing that any of the inventors of these machines won the award of $2,500. All of these machines were part of the continuum of inventions which made it possible to mine coal without the use of gunpowder. The second part of the challenge was for an improved safety light. It is possible that that part of the award was won by Thomas A. Edison for his Edison Electric Safety Mine Lamp. His lamp was the winner of the first award of the Rathenau Medal, and the winner of the Grand Prize of the First International Exposition of Safety and Sanitation. It was also the first Electric safety mine lamp approved under the Government Code by the U.S. Bureau of Mines. It wasn’t an electric line lit lamp. It was a battery operated lamp which had a durable rechargeable storage battery which could last up to eight hours. It was light weight battery that could easily be carried on the miner’s back. A tungsten lamp with a parabolic reflector and heavy lens provided the light. The lamp could easily be fastened to the miner’s hat and connected

to the battery. It soon replaced miner’s flame lights and was a must for miners in gaseous mines like those at Adrian, which had experienced several gas explosions. Edison’s battery was quickly adapted to power vehicles and other equipment. It was used to power mine motors, industrial trucks and tractors and delivery wagons. Edison was quoted as saying the battery would last a hundred years. And today many machines and vehicles are operated battery. Technology improved mine safety and increased productivity. The number of miners needed to produce coal was reduced and the new miner needed machine operating skills. Trappers, barn helpers, blacksmiths and pick miners were replaced by motor men, machinists, cutters, scrapers, loaders. And, for the company the cost of production was reduced and profits were increased. (Editor’s Note: The resources used in the preparation of this article are available at the Punxsutawney Memorial Library, the Punxsutawney Area Historical and Genealogical Society and the Stapleton Library at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. This article has been prepared by PRIDE – Punxsutawney Revitalization: Investing, Developing, Enhancing. PRIDE is a nonprofit organization which brings together residents, business people, community leaders and civic organizations, to improve the business districts in Punxsutawney. PRIDE is working to develop the Punxsutawney Area Coal Memorial. Comments on this article may be directed to PRIDE, P.O. Box 298, Punxsutawney, PA 15767) •••

Sunday dinner Continued from page 6

sisters often stopping by for coffee, not for the full dinner, as they had already served large families of their own. My children had the opportunity to experience the love, respect, partnership and joy of extended family through my mom's Sunday dinners. I loved those Sunday dinners, but not until recent years did I realize how much. In some ways, life seemed better then. We enjoyed freedom from the slavery of the clock. Those Sunday dinners drew us to Grandma's and to family every week. My memories of those days are a treasure that will live with me forever. Perhaps a return to this once-strong family tradition will take us back to the honor and values of years past. Revive your Sunday-dinner time! Relive the gift! It will remind us that there is more to life than just daily bread. It will dress you, again, in your Sunday best. When you are family, there's always a place at the table. (Edward A. Iannuccilli, M.D., is author of "Growing up Italian: Grandfather's Fig Tree and Other Stories.") (Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.) •••

On the Cover (front row, l. to r.) emma Burkett, Avary Powell; (back row) Austin Milton, Matt Blose, Cassie Cook, Gabby Kaufman, Dane Baker, Sierra Milton, Morgan Vanleer, Micky DeChurch, Tori Brooks and Michael Blose.

9-11 reMeMbered PLEaSE voTE NovEMBER 8, 2011

Paul Corbin ................................COMMISSIOnER Jim McIntyre ..............................COMMISSIOnER Diane Maihle Kiehl....................REgISTER & RECORDER Carl Gotwald, Sr.........................SHERIff Maxine Zimmerman ..................COunTy AuDITOR Roger Richards...........................COunTy AuDITOR Greg Bazylak ..............................DISTRICT JuDgE 54-3-03 Doug Chambers..........................DISTRICT JuDgE 54-3-03

Joe Scarnati, Senator Sam Smith, Representative Paul Corbin, Commissioner Jim McIntyre, Commissioner Bernard Snyder, Coroner Jeff Burkett, District Attorney Diane Maihle Kiehle, Register & Recorder

Carl Gotwald Sr., Sheriff Jim “Moon” VanSteenberg, Treasurer Maxine Zimmerman, County Auditor Roger Richards, County Auditor Mabel Dunkle, Jury Commissioner

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Punxsutawney Hometown – September 2011 - Issue #131 – 11

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the Story of ringgold: Honoring the First Casualty of the mexican War By S. Thomas Curry of Hometown magazine inggold Township lies to the west of Punxsutawney. Ringgold grew steadily from the mid-1800s when coal was found and the demand for it far exceeded the local use in foundries and

lage, many stores were organized to support the farms and their agricultural needs. Ringgold Township was the 18th township organized in Jefferson County (1848). It is sandwiched between Armstrong County to its west and Beaver, Oliver, Rose and Porter Townships in Jefferson County, At first the

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Get your hunting boots while the selection is best! 12 – Punxsutawney Hometown – September 2011 - Issue #131

blacksmith shops, and for heating. In the early 1900s, there were about 1,100 people by the census count. In the 2000 census, the township had a population of 764 people. Settlers migrated into Ringgold Township as early as 1818. The families of Shaffers, Millirons, Geists, Martz, Freas and Doverspike made their homes there. There were others who traveled over mountain ranges of central Pennsylvania to the area on their way west, making their way into Ohio and the Midwest states. Some of these “eastern” people, lacking the financial means to go farther west, remained in Jefferson County. Among the first citizens who settled there were hunters and trappers. They were followed by farmers, who found the fertile land profitable for farming of wheat, corn and oats. Attention was also given to fruit farming of apples and peaches, pears, plums and cherries. Typically, as a small rural vil-

township was known as Hastings, in honor of Thomas Hastings, an early settler who later started a newspaper in Brookville in 1837, the Backwoodsman. With land taken from Porter Township to the south, in 1850 the township was called North Porter and continued as such until May 1853. Then the township and village were officially named Ringa West Point graduate, gold. As with As a young officer, Samuel Worthville, and Ringgold, helped rewrite its naming, this the manuel for artillery machoice of name neuvers in warfare, making artillery more mobile in was not to honor the battle. His concept of a local pioneer mounting guns on horses family. It would to allow the artillery to shift be named for positions faster was called Major Samuel “the flying artillery.” Ringgold, who lost his life in 1846 in the battle of Palo Alto during the Mexican War. The army officer, was known as the “Father of Modern Artillery” for his military innovations. Obviously, some history about him has to be revealed to explain the unusual selection of this name for an area town. An artillery officer, in July 1818 Ringgold was a member of the first graduating class at West Point. Early in his military career - Continued on page 14

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ringgold Continued from page 12 he passed through the ranks from his commission as 2nd Lieutenant to serve as an aide to General Winfield Scott. (Gen.

Ringgold died from his wounds three days after the Palo Alto engagement, his first military conflict. He was the first fatality of the Mexican War. Dying as an American hero, there would follow an explosion of national pride. Ballads, stage plays, songs and poetry honored his heroics and sacrifice.

In 1846, while directing his artillery from his horse in the first battle of the Mexican War at Palo Alto, Major Samuel Ringgold was shot through the legs. He died from his wounds three days after the battle.

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William Worth, of the Worthville name also served as aide to Gen. Scott.) He was part of a team of officers who were rewriting the manual for artillery. The work was adopted in 1845, and he was promoted to the rank of Major. His expertise led to the development of the military’s “light artillery,” a concept of employing artillery pieces that could be moved quickly from place to place. The Mexican-American War erupted in 1846 and Major Ringgold’s fast moving “flying artillery” was called into action in the first clash of the Mexican War. General Zachary Taylor and his troops were outnumbered against a large force of Mexican infantry troops in the Battle of Palo Alto. Convincing Gen. Taylor to use his light artillery at close range, he led a barrage of artillery fire that resulted in many Mexicans killed and a retreat of the Mexican forces. While directing the fire of his artillery from his horse, Ringgold was shot through the legs by a Mexican cannonball, mangling both his legs. Soldiers came to his aid, but he refused to leave the battlefield until he could brief his officers with personal concerns and necessary tactics to complete the battle. He would learn his artillery maneuvers had won a victory for the U. S. troops.

And, obviously, in 1853, the naming of a township, and a town, in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania can be added to the list of honors. Some of the folk among those pioneer county settlers had to have heard or read about the Mexican War officer Samuel Ringgold to have his name exist for 150 years in our vocabulary and history. Ringgold, or Ringgold Village as some would call it, is the largest community in Ringgold Township. But unlike Worthville, also named for a Mexican War general, it is not incorporated as a borough. The area today continues its farming tradition. Over the years, dairy and beef farms were established. Farm and coal operations made necessary changes to move through the 20th century. New housing in planned subdivisions around the village of Ringgold invited new people. And an appealing charm exists in the neighborhoods. After visiting the Ringgold area in 1870, a writer in a Punxsutawney newspaper put forth, “With the advantages Nature has placed in their way the village of Ringgold is improving somewhat and exhibits a picture of quiet enjoyment.” How true today. But its name speaks of an adventurous time in American history. •••

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We honor lives lost . . . and strength found. GOD BLESS OUR COUNTRY. reyNoldsville 814.653.8232

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Remembering 9/11 For the last decade, the end of summer has meant one thing to Americans, even if only subconsciously: the anniversary of September 11, 2001. It is hard to believe, but this year marks the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks, but we have not forgotten. Whether we celebrate the memory of the victims or the heroism of the first responders, we do so with Patriotic passion. We will never forget, and we pay homage to what happened that day. Protect the Ones You Love Punxsutawney

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Punxsutawney Hometown – September 2011 - Issue #131 – 15

Does Penn State really need JoePa?

By Gene Collier Pittsburgh Post-Gazette f the place where you work is the kind of place that has a statue outside, and that statue is of you, you've probably worked there long enough. If you've made a habit of drawing crowds to something called "An Evening With Joe," but now "An Evening With Joe" begins promptly at 4 p.m., you've probably worked too long. If you're still going to your high school

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reunions just to see if Adam and Eve are still together ... all right, that'll do. That's about as politely as I can put this week's business about Joe Paterno, still the football coach at Penn State even if his primary function seems to that of the obstinate octogenarian. Double O Joe. I fear for the guy, that's the impetus here. I don't want to see him die in the saddle, even if that's what he wants. That's what he has called the perfect ending, complete with a game-winning field goal, of course. Paterno's a guy who has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that he gets what he wants, and that's exactly what scares me. I was sitting in the old Pittsburgh PostGazette newsroom on Jan. 26, 1983, when word reached us that Bear Bryant was dead. The Alabama coaching icon had been retired less than a month. Don't remember anyone saying, "This will shake Paterno to the core," but that's precisely what it did. Ever since, Joe has associated separation from coaching with imminent death, at least his, and running from Bryant's ghost never was much of an issue when Paterno could still run. Once he began closing in on 80 though, Joe could no longer get out of the way. Not in any sense. He couldn't get out of the way when university president Graham Spanier belat-

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2011 SteelerS SCHedule Sunday, Sept. 11 ......at Ravens ......1:00 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18......SEAHAWkS....1:00 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25......at Colts ..........8:20 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2..........at Texans ........1:00 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9..........TITANS............1:00 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16........JAGuARS ......1:00 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23........at Cardinals....4:05 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30........PATRIOTS ......4:15 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6 ........RAvENS..........8:20 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13 ......at Bengals ......1:00 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20 ......Bye - No Game Sunday, Nov. 27 ......at Chiefs ........8:20 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4 ........BENGALS ......1:00 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8......BROWNS ........8:20 p.m. monday, Dec. 19 ......at 49ers ..........8:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 24 ....RAmS..............1:00 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 1 ........at Browns ......1:00 p.m.

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16 – Punxsutawney Hometown – September 2011 - Issue #131

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1. Complete the coupon on this page. 2. Guess the winning team and the total number of points you think will be scored in the Steelers vs. Ravens Game and enter the guesses in the spaces provided on the coupon. 3. Enter one of the participating advertisers on these contest pages in the space provided to redeem your coupon should you be the contest winner. 4. Clip and forward the coupon to: ‘Steelers Football Contest,’ c/o Hometown magazine, P.O. Box 197, Punxsutawney, PA 15767.

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5. All entries must be received at the Hometown magazine post office box by 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8. 6. No purchase necessary to participate. All entries must be original magazine coupon (no photocopies). 7. In the event two or more contestants correctly pick the winning team and total number of points, one winner will be randomly selected and awarded the winning prize. In event two or more contestants tie for closest to the total score, one winner will be randomly selected to win the $25 certificate. Each issue we will give one $25 certificate. 8. Hometown magazine retains the right to make any final decisions regarding the contest, and by submitting an entry, contestants agree to abide by the rules of the contest.

Hometown magazine ‘Steelers Football Contest’: Complete, Clip, Drop off or Mail to: Steelers Football Contest c/o Hometown magazine, P.O. Box 197, Punxsutawney, PA 15767

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Penn State Continued from previous page

edly asked him to step down in 2004, couldn't get out of the way when tight end Andrew Quarless barreled into him in a September '06 practice, breaking three of Paterno's ribs, couldn't get out of the way two months later when Quarless and Wisconsin linebacker DeAndre Levy barrelled into him on the sideline, breaking his left leg, and couldn't get out of the way recently when Devon Smith's pass pattern sent him smack into the coach's pelvis at an indoor practice. You can call that event the "Moo Moo Miracle.'' Smith, a junior wideout who answers to "Moo Moo,'' just happens to be the smallest player on the team, if not the smallest in major college football. He's listed at 5-7, 157 pounds on the official roster, meaning he's almost certainly smaller, thus this collision occurred between a guy who's probably too old to coach and guy who's probably too small to play. Nothing against "Moo Moo,'' but, if he's running at speed into an 84 year old and causing nothing but hairline fractures, how do you like his future against Nebraska linebacker Sean Fisher, who is 6-6, 235? Paterno returned to practice, having been released from the hospital, and reports were that he would be coaching from a golf cart. Might I suggest an armored car? There are dozens of practices to survive before the Nittany Lions welcome Division I-AA Indiana State to Beaver Stadium Sept. 3. Say you're a typical 84 year old of median health and you visit your doctor Sept. 2, and you tell him this: "Hey, Doc, I just wanted to mention that tomorrow I'm going to go out stand on a field for 3-1/2 hours in front of a 110,000 screaming people, watching me make decisions while I dodge any number of young people, some of them weighing up to 320 pounds, travelling at high rates of speed, wearing suits of armor. "That OK?" No it's not OK. It's insane. But, somewhere there's a kindly country doc saying: "Don't see why not. Ya might take a rain hat." There's no crime in getting old. In most cases, it beats the alternative. But there's no logic in trying to reach 85 on the sideline. This is how old I am: Athletes who were the children of athletes I covered have retired from sports. That's old. This is how old Joe is. When I became a Penn State student in 1971, Joe already had been there for 21 years. Now my son's graduation from Penn State is three years into the rear-view mirror. And Joe is still there. Not even Lennon and McCartney, on their busiest psychedelic pathways, could envision something like that. The song wasn't called "When I'm 84." "But there's Double O Joe. Reading the game plan, digging the tweets Who could ask for more? Will ya still need me, will ya still heed me, when I'm 84?'' (Contact Gene Collier at gcollier(at)postgazette.com.) (Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.) •••

Punxsutawney Hometown – September 2011 - Issue #131 – 17

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Providing Advanced Life Support Care to Jefferson County EMERGENCY: 911 18 – Punxsutawney Hometown – September 2011 - Issue #131

are a fabulous extension of human bodies. You can cover amazing distances over short periods of time." Continued from page 8 The only female rider in the tour group, Nina Mohrmann, of Germany, is Janning’s something like tennis or basketball." sister. "And part of it is that I just like to exShe stepped out of her bright orange Veloplore." mobile smiling and didn’t seem the least bit The ROAM group rode about 140 miles of tired. Interstate in order to by-pass the Cascade "I’ve been riding my Velomobile about one-and-a-half years. I’m a teacher. I take it to work everyday, about 30 miles round trip," she said. Mohrmann says she is relaxed when she arrives at work and can perform her job better after her Velomobile ride. "Cycling is the very best way to reduce stress," she said. Another member of the group, Martin Beyst, of England, says he gets an adrenaline rush when his purple Velomobile flies down a hill at a high speed. It is Beyst’s first trip across the U.S. and his first long distance trip in a Velomobile. Hills tend to slow the riders down a bit. Josef Janning, seasoned Velomobile rider and organizer of "On a six percent grade I can do this tour, prepares his vehicle for the next leg of the 3,200 mile about ten miles per hour up hill," trek from Oregon to Washington, D.C.(Photo by Marsha Lavelle) he said, "On a 20 percent grade, I can reach up to 80 miles per hour downMountain range. hill." In the East, the bikers encounter more "On a long dissent," Beyst explained, "the traffic and more mountains. speed keeps building and building." "We figured out a route to go by way of Beyst says he doesn’t pay a lot of attenthe water gaps" Piekielek said, "It’s mostly tion to the terrain until he gets to it, "I just a pretty ride on secondary highways, and follow the route I’m suppose to take." no climbing mountains." Everyone in the group travels at their own Mapping out a good route for the riders is pace which means that everyone arrives at critical for a successful tour, Janning said. different times at the designated stops along "You have to have a general idea of where the way. Some really like to be first to aryou are going," he said, "We seek advice rive, others just relax and enjoy the scenery. from local riders. Bill (Piekielek) helped us When the Velomobiles and the recumbent with the Ohio to Maryland route. Others biker pulled out of Punxsutawney heading helped with various other routes along the south, they knew it would be at least three way. days to reach their destination. "It was easier in the West," he said, "So When they get to Washington, D.C., anfar, we’ve had really nice rides. Once we other celebration will be in order. There cross the Mississippi, the ride gets more will be a big party for those who completed difficult." the cross-country journey. Janning explained that the riders have a "That is one of the things that attracted me schedule that must be followed. to this ride, the fact that it’s a once in a life"Each day’s destination is a must," he time opportunity," Piekielek said, "The said, "All the stops along the way have to whole experience: Seeing how people react be reserved in advance." along the way, sharing the hard days, and The group covered an average distance of finally, the accomplishment." 125 to 150 miles per day. The riders range For more information about the Roll Over from 20s to 60s in age and are from many America (ROAM) tour, go to different occupations. www.rolloveramerica.eu. For more infor"You can do this and be a normal person," mation about Velomobiles, go to Janning said, "Not a super athlete. Bikes www.velomobileusa.com. •••

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Dog ownership has many benefits By Lee Bowman Scripps Howard News Service ven though we now know summer is about the tilt of the Earth rather than the brightness of Sirius (the dog star) as ancient Romans thought, the canine connection to the most sultry days of the season persists. We certainly share the misery of the hottest days. Dogs have been keeping company with humans for at least 15,000 years, cats maybe half as long, but researchers continue to learn new lessons about our pets and how we influence each other. One recent study, published in the journal Learning and Behavior, sought to test whether nurture or nature has more influence on the ability of a dog or wolf to beg effectively for food. Researchers from the University of Florida found that wolves could be just as effective as domestic dogs at approaching attentive humans and taking cues from their hands, eyes and posture. And both wolves and pets got better with practice. They also noted, though, that dogs that had been raised in a home environment rather than a shelter were better at picking up human cues. Those with less regular exposure to humans were less adept at begging. In fact, dogs in close partnership with humans may actually become too sensitive and eager to please. Scientists at the University of California at Davis found that drug or bomb-sniffing dogs were much more likely to give a false "alert" on a training course when their handler wrongly believed that a scent target was present. They reported in the January issue of Animal Cognition that 18 human-dog teams erred more than 200 times over the course of an experiment. The handlers had been falsely told that there could be up to three target scents in each of the rooms they searched, and that some would be identified with a piece of red paper taped to a cabinet. The researchers said the mistakes didn't result from any failings in the canine noses or training, but because they picked up on cues from their humans about what they expected to find. "Dogs are exceptionally keen at interpreting subtle clues, so handlers need to be cognizant of that to optimize the overall performance of the team," said Anna Oberbauer, senior author of the study and head of the university's department of animal science. So what do dogs give back to us? A March study by Michigan State University scientists found that people who owned and walked their dogs were 34 percent more likely to meet federal guidelines for physical activity. The researchers said the results

appeared to come from more than just getting tugged tree-to-tree by Rover, but suggested that having a dog made people more active and perhaps healthy overall. Another recent study by psychologists at Miami University and St. Louis University involved several surveys and other methods to identify the effect of pets on loneliness, self-esteem, frequent illness and exercise levels. They found that pet owners not only - Continued on page 26

Punxsutawney Hometown – September 2011 - Issue #131 – 19

Community taking a Step Back in time: Happenings mahoning valley milling Company

rom the Chamber of Commerce and the Community Calendar at Punxsutawney.com, here is a list of events and happenings coming up in our

area: n The Farmers’ Market sponsored by PRIDE is held every Thursday from 4-7 p.m. on the sidewalks from the Fairman Centre to Miller Brothers Furniture in downtown Punxsutawney. n Antique Firearms & indian Artifact show will be held at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds on Saturday, September 3, 2011 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Featuring all types of antique firearms through 1898 and prehistoric and historic artifacts. Admission- Age 16 & up: $5, under 16: Free. For more information contact Jefferson County Historical Society at 814-849-0077. n Groundhog Club Picnic to be held Saturday, September 10 beginning at 1 p.m. at Gobblers Knob. Enjoy lots of food and beverage and see Punxsutawney Phil get his annual drink of magic elixir. Tickets available from any Groundhog Club member and at the Chamber of Commerce or by calling 800-752-PHIL x3. n Punxsutawney Alliance Church will host a concert by Vladimir Gidenko and the russian Choir from Erie, Pennsylvania on Saturday, 9/17 at 7 PM. Come and enjoy their ministry of music performed by singers of all ages. Refreshments will be served following the concert. The Choir will perform again at the Sunday morning, 9/18 worship service at 10:30 a.m. n Frames Gone wild workshop with Deb Phillips will be held at the Lattimer House, 400 West Mahoning Street from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 17 for ages 15 and older. Free admission but class size is limited to first 25 people. Call for mandatory reservations: 814-275-1204 n open Game Horse show at the Punx’y Saddle Club on September 10 beginning at 10 a.m. For more information, see the flyer at Punxsysaddleclub.webs.com n 2011 Punxsutawney Christian women’s Conference “Meet Me at the Well” with author and conference speaker Virelle Kidder, worship leader and songwriter Lisa Troyer, and Bible study teacher Jocelyn Hamsher. Friday, Sept. 30 & Saturday, Oct. 1. Friday night Bible study session free. Saturday conference $20 if registered by Sept 15, after Sept. 15, $25. Lunch included. Punxsutawney First Church of God. Visit conference blog for more information or to download registration http://punxsycwc.blogspot.com/ or call Punxsutawney Christian School at 814938-2295. n Punxsutawney.com is maintained by the Chamber of Commerce for the community. Any area business or organization is invited to become a member of the Chamber of Commerce for as little as $65 for the year. For more information, visit Punxsutawney.com/chamber or call 938-7700. To submit an event for the calendar, visit Punxsutawney.com/calendar and fill out the form. •••

By PRIDE for Hometown magazine hange and keeping up with the needs of their customers has been the by-word of the Mahoning Valley Milling Company of Punxsutawney for more than one-hundred years. “Service is our number one priority,” said Diane Wehrle.” Mahoning Valley Milling Company of Punxsutawney is a unique business located at 57 Gilpin St. Ext., just off Indiana Street on the south side of Mahoning Creek in Punxsutawney. Originally the site of O.H. Nordstrom’s woolen mill, it was purchased in 1909 by the Mahoning Valley Milling Company and converted it into a feed and flour mill. In the early years their customers were mainly the local farmers and grocers. At one time they supplied the A&P grocery store chain with their Sunrise Buckwheat Flour. A visit to the Mahoning Valley Milling Company is like taking a step back in time. In some ways, it is like an old fashioned hardware, and yet, it is upto-date with high tech products to meet current customer needs. The traditional offerings in each department follow the seasons. The lawn and garden area features everything needed to plant in the spring. Garden tools, seeds, fertilizers, mulch, are but a few of the items in stock. Summer sees the addition of all the necessities for harvesting and preserving the crop for use in the winter. Canners, canning jars, freezer bags, and more are available. Mahoning Valley Milling maintains its long-standing tradition of providing feed for livestock, including cracked corn, shelled corn, ear corn, and feed oats. They also specialize in their own ready made feeds, including scratch, chicken mash, corn and oats, 16% dairy feed, 11% and 17% calf feed, corn chop, and pig and hog feed. All of these are in stock, and their resident miller will custom grind specialty

mixes. Throughout the years, the company has offered many different products to meet the needs of their customers. One item, the International Truck was a popular product in the early half of the 20th century. Today, they no longer sell trucks, but they have added a number of new product lines, including clothing to meet the needs of those who spend time in the outdoors. Sportsmen, campers, farmers, well tenders,

telephone linemen, and skiers all know they can find the clothing, shoes, and boots they need in the well-stocked racks and shelves at Mahoning Valley Milling Company. They also know they can find the specialized equipment they need. Whether it is a new or used gun, a rod and reel, a kayak or canoe, Mahoning Valley has what they need. For animal and pet owners of all types, there is a full line of supplies, ranging from dog and cat food and care items, to those items necessary for milk cows, beef cattle, horses, sheep and even llamas. “We have made it through floods,” said

Diane, “and we have outlasted much of our competition. We do it by listening to our customers and meeting their needs. The custom ground feed is one example. And, we deliver to the farm, which is a plus for the farmers in our area. That’s the core business that has kept us going through the years.” Evolving with the times, the Mahoning Valley Milling Company now includes a gun and ammunition department. “It is the largest gun shop in the Indiana and Jefferson County Area,” said John Keeley, the resident gunsmith, “and we maintain a stock of 800 guns, new and used, and we buy and sell guns for hunting, target shooting, and gun sporting events .” Their stock includes a complete range of hand guns, semi-automatic and para-military guns, and ammunition by the box or in bulk. They stock black powder for muzzle loaders and supplies for reloading ammunition. “Sports are seasonal,” continued Keeley, “the majority of our sales in the fall are hunting rifles, primarily for small game and deer.” In addition they sell cross bows, primarily for archery season. The spring market is for sporting rifles for target shooting and other recreational uses. They sell guns on the internet through Guns America, but only to licensed dealers. One of the latest trends in guns is the pink sporting rifle. More women are into hunting and enjoy target shoots and competitive matches. Mahoning Valley Milling Company of Punxsutawney has been in operation for over one-hundred years, and with a new generation of Wehrle family members entering the business, they expect to be serving customers for another hundred. The Wehrle’s and their staff thank the community and their loyal customers for their continued support. •••

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20 – Punxsutawney Hometown – September 2011 - Issue #131

1909 ~ ovER 100 yEaRS IN BUSINESS ~ 2011

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Punxsutawney Hometown – September 2011 - Issue #131 – 21

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(Editor’s Note: ‘From Our Past,’ researched by S. Thomas Curry, features items of interest from past editions of Punxsutawney and area newspapers.) August 22, 1900 — An afternight ride on the trolley cars to Anita, four miles above Punxsutawney, is pleasant during the hot weather. The scent of wild flowers, the freshening breezes that come from the green foliage and the long lines of blazing coke ovens, make a combination of very agreeable sensations. (Punxsutawney Spirit) August 24, 1887 — One day last week, while blasting was going on the line of the Clearfield & Jefferson railroad, opposite J. U. Gillespie’s flouring mill, a large rock struck the building, plowed through the weather-boarding, making quite a hole. The Clayville people are being treated to a shower of rocks and stumps occasionally while blasting is going on opposite the town. [Note: Clayville is Punx’y’s West End. The blasting was for the railroad to Horatio coal mines. That railroad line is now the Mahoning Shadow Rails to Trails.] (Punxsutawney News)

August 29, 1894 — Messrs. J. H. Prothero, Dr. J. M. Grube, E. A. Murray, S. S. Wetzell, J. E. Pantall, and their respective wives, are camping on the green shores of the North Fork of the Susquehanna river, near Bells Landing, Clearfield county. This is the place that has grown so popular among Punxsutawney people who have been camping out this summer, as this is the third delegation that has occupied the grounds this year. The previous outing parties had tents, but this last crowd built themselves several substantial shanties. (Punxsutawney News) August 31, 1887 — Water plugs area being placed along our streets for use in case of fire. They will be very convenient for hitching posts. But any one tieing (sic) his horses to one of them will be fined seventeen dollars and costs. (Punxsutawney Spirit) september 8, 1886 — Base ball! base ball! don’t miss this interesting game, to be played on the fair ground on Saturday, September 11th at 10 o’clock A.M. between the Sprankle Mills nine and the Punx’y Stars. (The Valley News) • • •

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22 – Punxsutawney Hometown – September 2011 - Issue #131

Remembering 9-11

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Junior team (row 1) Ashton Rotsch, Max London, Clayton Stephens, Jake Skarbek, Jachob Haines, Andrew Wehrle; (row 2) John Butler, Cody Phillips, Ben Ecelberger, Owen Stephens, Shane Knox, Carter Newcome, Alex London; (row 3) Logan Deats, Zach Delarme, Holden Griffith, Derek Ishman, Matthew Wolfe, Joshua Miller; (row 4) Connor Giavedoni, Brent Baker, Charles Fuller, Kameron Falgout, Josie Yeager, Zachary Thorpe, Evan Humble; (row 5), Dylan Ishman, Sean Deeley, Alex Martin, Jonathan Kaspusta, Ethan May; (row 6) Coaches - John Kapusta, Mike Ishman, Tim Reagle, Greg Stouffer, Brian Ishman (Head Coach) Kim London; Missing - Garrett Wright and Alex Dawson

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24 – Punxsutawney Hometown – September 2011 - Issue #131

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senior team (row 1) Logan Geist, Andrew Ritchey, Jacob Schuckers, Jack Butler, Bo Smith, Colton Roken; (row 2) Cody Verostic, Matt Wehrle,Canaan Knox, Patrick Fedigan, Kevin Hutton, Joey Dipietro, Tyler Richardson; (row 3) Ethan Riley, Zack May, Alexander Neal, Tyler Getch, Issac Stouffer, Jake Pearce, Levi Molinari, Trent Stouffer; (row 4) Carl Medsger, Micheal Lin, Brady Snyder, John Mark Miller, Devin Kelly, Krystofer Modaffare; (row 5) Coaches - Dave Bosak, Charlie Schuckers, Joel Martin (Head Caoch), Ken Bishop, Joe Pascuzzo, Doug Neal, Mark Stephens; Missing - Scott Jordt and Stone Smith

Bantam team (row 1, l. to r.) Clayton Barrick, Cooper Ritchey, Izaiah Soloman, Treven Barnoff; (row 2) Andrew Young, Nate Thorpe, Bryce Horne, Ben Skarbek, Donnie Neese, Nicholas Humble; (row 3) Jacob Ebel, Brandon Ishman, Ben Fezell, Nicholas Salizonni, Zach Winters, Logan Gotwalt; (row 4) Coaches Greg Skarbek, Dave Rotsch, Tim Fezell, Joe Dipietro (Head Coach) Missing - Colton Adamson, Peyton Hetrick, Coach Jim Kachmar Photos by images in motion by Kelly • www.sportspicsbykelly.com

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Punxsutawney Hometown – September 2011 - Issue #131 – 25

Photos from the Past The Clearfield and Jefferson Branch brought the Pennsylvania Railroad to Punxsutawney. Here a crew of the railroad poses in front of a Pennsylvania Railroad Caboose. The railroad station which served the Pennsylvania Railroad was located in the area where the U. S. Post Office, in Punxsutawney is located today. The Punxsutawney Area Historical and Genealogical Society is interested in learning who the members of the crew are. You may call the Historical Society at 938-2555, or drop by and speak with Jeanne Curtis or Shirley Sharp, at the Lattimer House, 400 West Mahoning Street, Thursday through Sunday from 1 to 4 PM. Photograph courtesy of the PunxHistorical and sutawney Genealogical Society.

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Dog ownership Continued from page 19

scored better in most measures, but that they also were more extroverted and enjoyed better social relationships with other people as well as with their pets. Other researchers remain skeptical, though, complaining that most pet studies are not well controlled, rely too much on self-reporting by animal lovers and involve too few study subjects. What dogs don't necessarily give us are germs or allergies. Research done in 2009 by a veterinarian at Kansas State while working on her doctorate at the University of Tennessee found that dog owners who allowed their pooches to sleep on their bed or lick them in the face were no more likely to share E coli strains with the animals than those who did not. But there was a link between dog owners who didn't wash their hands after petting their dogs and then handled or cooking food. A study published earlier this year by researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit showed that having a dog or cat in the house during the first year or so has little impact on whether a child will become sensitive to pet allergens by young adulthood, but that the exposure may be helpful in some groups. Young men whose families had an indoor dog during their first year had about half the risk of being sensitized to dogs compared to those whose families had no house dog, the scientists wrote in the journal Clinical and Experimental Allergy. (Contact SHNS health correspondent Lee Bowman at BowmanL(at)shns.com) •••

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is college still worth it? Some majors are

By Dan K. Thomasson Scripps Howard News Service he endless chatter about the ills of the public school system is being matched in intensity by speculation over the value of a college education and whether it is increasingly less worth the money. The answer to the first part of the question is yes, according to the experts. A college degree still is considered a necessary passport to a better life no matter if guys like

Bill Gates dropped out. But as to whether the amount being spent matches the expectations there is a vast difference of opinion. The truth is some degrees are just worth more than others over a lifetime although the costs may be the same and take years to pay off. The decisions facing this fall's entering freshmen are far more complex than they once were before persistently high unemployment that has left the outlook uncertain for those who chose to study one of the impractical icons of academia. But then not everyone can be an engineer, doctor, lawyer, architect or brilliant research scientist. What a dreary society that would be, long on technocrats and woefully short on those we would want to be around. I was at a going-off-to-college dinner the other night for a brilliant young lady who confided that she already had enough credits to be a sophomore by December. She is a model of academic success in one of the toughest grading regimes of any public school system in America. She has never had a B in 12 years of primary and secondary education and has balanced her advanced course load and breathtakingly high test scores with community service, music, internships and an active social life, all factors that would predict not only continued achievement in her chosen college, known for its academic toughness, but also afterwards. Is this assurance of a lucrative job in a few years? Hardly, according once again to the experts who note that while her expressed major, linguistics, might be better than some disciplines in the area of arts and sciences, the best prospects are in the professions. Engineering, medicine, computer

sciences and business top that list, with law losing some of its cachet under the current economic circumstances. Starting pay and job security are far higher than the average graduate in the humanities, if jobs are available. Those majoring in English, literature, journalism and philosophy have little choice but to plan for graduate school in something more practical. Fortunately, the young lady I just described has a flair for languages and expects to spend some time studying abroad.

Obviously with a global economy, corporations are always looking for those who are multilingual. But she, like many of her peers with exceptional academic records, faces some tough choices down the road. Her cousin, who was also at the dinner, on the other hand, is beginning her third year at a popular university. Her opportunities for a good paying job are based on a broad major called "Justice Studies" where her destination will be either law school or law enforcement. The chances for the latter are enhanced by the fact her father is a federal agent with broad experience in two departments, State and Justice. The prospects for most aren't that good. The other day on a National Public Radio forum, a woman laid off from her job as a newspaper reporter said that had she any inkling about what would happen to the

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Punxsutawney Hometown – September 2011 - Issue #131 – 27

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